Begin Again
by Shakespeare's Lady
Summary: Alice Brandon had been in one bad relationship after another. Her latest boyfriend criticized her for everything and abused her all the time. She runs away to a new city, terrified that he will find her. After eight months on her own, she agrees to go on a blind date with a man who will make her change her whole perspective on everything. J/A. All human.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So as you can tell by the title, this story is inspired by Taylor Swift's hit song. She just has so many great songs for Twilight fan fic stories.

* * *

Took a deep breath in the mirror  
He didn't like it when I wore high heels  
But I do.  
Turn the lock and put my headphones on  
He always said he didn't get this song  
But I do, I do.

Walked in expecting you'd be late  
But you got here early and you stand and wave  
I walk to you.  
You pull my chair out and help me in  
And you don't know how nice that is  
But I do.

And you throw your head back laughing  
Like a little kid.  
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny cause  
He never did.  
I've been spending the last 8 months  
Thinking all love ever does  
Is break and burn and end.  
But on a Wednesday in a cafe  
I watched it begin again.

You said you never met one girl who  
Had as many James Taylor records as you  
But I do.  
We tell stories and you don't know why  
I'm coming off a little shy  
But I do.

And you throw your head back laughing  
Like a little kid.  
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny cause  
He never did.  
I've been spending the last 8 months  
Thinking all love ever does  
Is break and burn and end.  
But on a Wednesday in a cafe  
I watched it begin again.

And we walked down the block, to my car  
And I almost brought him up.  
But you start to talk about the movies  
That your family watches every single Christmas  
And I want to talk about that.  
And for the first time  
What's past is past.

And you throw your head back laughing  
Like a little kid.  
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny cause  
He never did.  
I've been spending the last 8 months  
Thinking all love ever does  
Is break and burn and end.  
But on a Wednesday in a cafe  
I watched it begin again.

But on a Wednesday in a cafe  
I watched it begin again.

-Taylor Swift

Chapter 1

I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't know why I agreed to do this. I was done dating. Every relationship had been disastrous. My most recent one with Riley had almost killed me. Literally. He was abusive and insulted me at every turn. I was lucky to walk away, but I knew that someday, he would find me. I ran, hoping he wouldn't. But I knew down deep that my luck wouldn't hold out forever.

I sat down on the bed and put on my shoes. They were so pretty! Red patent leather high-heeled peep toes. They matched my flowing red skirt that came to the knee and oversized belt. My shirt was white and looked like a dressed up version of a tee-shirt with a scooping neck. I had cut my hair when I moved away, so it was short and spiky. I looked like a pixie with that style and my petite nature, but that was fine with me. I was happy with it.

 _He didn't like it when I wore high heels._

Riley wanted me in flats all the time. It was because he wanted to tower over me, a sign of dominance. I can't believe I gave him two years of my life.

I shook my head and headed back over to the mirror.

I applied my makeup and stared at my reflection. The physical scars had mostly faded, save for a few on my right leg, but the emotional ones were plain on my face. At least, to me. To a stranger, he wouldn't know.

I grabbed my purse and headed out the door, turning my key in the lock and then putting my ear buds in and turning up the music. My favorite song from James Taylor was on and I sang along to it.

 _He always said he didn't get this song._

There were a lot of things Riley Biers never got. He never _wanted_ to get them. He made me feel like a fool; like everything I did was wrong. Even after eight months of running, he still haunted me at every turn. Would I ever get over it? I seriously began to doubt it.

The café where I agreed to meet this Jasper Cullen was about two blocks from my apartment. Waiting for the walk sign to change at a traffic stop, I pulled up the picture of him on my phone that my best friend Rosalie had sent me.

The most beautiful man I had ever seen appeared on my screen. And Rose said he's better-looking in person. As I began to cross the street when the light changed, my conversation with her replayed in my mind.

 _He's my brother. A Chicago native like me, he moved down to Texas for college. He moved back here two years ago when he got a teaching job at Northwestern. He had a bad break up four years ago and he's looking to get back into the dating scene. You'll love him, Al. He's a great guy. And a COMPLETE gentleman._

That was someone I didn't need. After all the losers I dated, I firmly believed that was what I deserved. Nice guys could stay far, far away.

I figured I'd go and humor her and then return to my solitude. She had arranged everything, the meeting spot, and the time; even what I should wear. I wanted to resent her meddling, but instead I found it endearing.

 _She is a great friend. Too bad I'll disappoint her like this._

My stomach sank as I approached the café. I assumed he would be late. Again, that was a trait from the losers I had been with. Riley once made me wait by myself in a restaurant for an hour and when he showed up, he ordered water and then we left about fifteen minutes later. He never apologized for being late. He was so controlling. And later when I asked him about it, my response was a black eye.

 _I can't believe I was so stupid about him._

The last eight months of my life really put everything into perspective. I realized how horrendous my life had been, even though I couldn't see it then. I have _never_ had a loving, decent relationship. I doubted I ever would.

 _Jasper will take one look at me and run. As he should._

Wishing I could still be at home, I pushed the door to the café open and stepped inside, allowing my eyes to adjust to the light. A movement to my left made my head turn and I gasped.

 _He was early._

He stood up and waved with a big smile on his face. I walked to him slowly, still floored that he was already here.

He reached out for my hand as I approached and I gave it to him. Instead of shaking it, he brought it to his lips and kissed it, his lips lingering for a few seconds longer.

 _Seriously, who does that anymore?_

It was at that moment that I noticed the warmth and the electricity that surged through me at his touch. I had never felt anything like it before. It was as though my whole body was on fire. And I wasn't sure it was a bad thing.

"Miss Alice," he said softly. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

His slight Texas drawl made me melt. It sounded so sexy and when I made eye contact with him, I turned into goo. Rosalie was right; he _was_ better looking in person. He was tall, like the rest of them, but his height didn't seem to dominate. He had short, blond hair and the bluest eyes I had ever seen. His body was toned and his muscular arms peeked out from his short sleeves.

 _Gorgeous._

"Hi," I managed to squeak out. He released my hand and I pouted at the loss of contact. Then he pulled out my chair for me and I sat down as he pushed it in a bit.

 _You have no idea how nice that is. But I do._

He sat across from me and signaled the waiter. "What do you want to order?"

The waiter approached and I decided to go light on everything. I ordered an egg salad sandwich and a latte, while Jasper went for just a buttered croissant and plain, black coffee.

"So, Alice," Jasper said. I turned to look at him. His eyes were kind. "Tell me a bit about yourself."

I lowered my eyes to the table. What could I say? _"I only date losers and the last one was the king of them all. He beat me and I never had a moment's happiness. I got away from him, but it's only a matter of time before he finds me."_

 _Yeah, that'll work._

Jasper reached across the table and placed his hand over mine. The surge was back and I closed my eyes at the feeling. He stared at our hands for a moment. He felt it too.

"Hey," he finally said softly. When I opened my eyes, I saw concern in his. He really was interested in me; he didn't just want me as a trophy.

 _He doesn't know you yet, Alice. Once you let him in, he'll be like all the rest. Remember, they started off sweet as well._

I shoved that stupid voice aside for now. I just wanted to have a nice afternoon with a presumably nice man.

He smiled sweetly. "It's okay, Alice. I don't bite." His blue eyes sparkled.

I laughed at his comment. "I know. Sorry. I'm just unsure what you want to know about."

He squeezed my hand. "Whatever you want to tell me."

Taking a deep breath, I decided to go with a few favorites of mine. I told him my favorite movie, color and song. It was easy to talk to him and he was completely engaged in what I had to say. I found myself opening up to him.

"So this one day, Rosalie and I are visiting this farm and when we ring the doorbell, their pet rooster comes barreling out at us. You should have seen how fast we bolted, and we were both in heels. I don't think Rosalie ever moved so fast in her life!" I said, laughing.

Jasper threw back his head laughing, just like a little kid. "That is so great. You are so funny, Alice." He wiped some tears away that had formed during his laughter.

I found it strange that he thought I was funny. Riley never did. He never laughed at my jokes. He always said I wasn't funny and that my place was beneath him.

"You know," he said, "I've never met a girl who has as many James Taylor records as I do. It's refreshing to not have to teach them about him, especially when they don't get music."

I nodded. I got that. Music is very special. It can convey emotions that you can't say. James helped me through the dark days of my life and he's helping me heal now.

The time flew by and before I knew it, two hours had passed! He looked at his watch and stood up. "I'm sorry to cut this short, Alice, but I need to get back to the campus." Extending his hand out, I took it and stood up. He handed me my purse.

"I'll walk you out."

I nodded and led the way out the door.

 _Maybe I should bring him up. Let him know why I'm hesitant._

Suddenly he started to talk about Christmas movies of all things.

"Have you seen _Die Hard_?"

I shook my head. He chuckled.

"I ask because it's one of the Christmas movies we watch in the Cullen household every year. My mother loves those cheesy Hallmark movies and forces us to watch them when Rosalie and I visit so every year we make a deal that on Christmas Eve, we watch _Die Hard_. It's a fair compromise."

I laughed and nodded. "Sounds like it."

"I'll never admit this to her," he said with a sly smile, "but I actually like some of those Hallmark stories. That will be our secret though." He winked at me and I smiled widely.

"Of course."

We walked to the corner.

"Are you safe to walk to your apartment?" he asked me.

"Oh, yes. I'm just over that way. Plus, these shoes are weapons," I said with a laugh.

His eyes travelled down to my feet and then slowly rose up, taking in every part of my body. But I didn't feel disgusted, like he was ogling me or anything. It felt powerful actually, like he was a man dying of thirst and I was his drink. His eyes lingered on my lips for a few seconds and I saw his Adam's apple bob.

"Jasper?"

His eyes snapped to mine and he blushed. He actually _blushed._ It was cute. I chuckled sweetly and he grinned.

"I'd love to see you again, Alice."

I stopped laughing and my heart began pounding. This is how it happened. The first date or so were perfect and then once I fell, he changed. I couldn't let that happen again. I wouldn't survive it.

"We'll see," I said quietly, casting my eyes down.

Once again, he took my hand. Once again, the electricity between us surged. Once again, I wished I was worthy of this Greek God in front of me.

 _Run._

He gently lifted my chin with his other hand until I was looking into those beautiful blue eyes.

"Rose told me that you would be resistant. She said it wasn't her place to tell me what happened, but not to take 'no' for an answer."

I raised an eyebrow at him. He smiled.

"I can be very persistent when I want something," he said, squeezing my hand.

 _Run. RUN._

Every fiber in my being was telling me no, that it was a mistake. I couldn't get involved with someone after only being on my own eight months. I couldn't go down that path again. But something screamed yes inside my head and I gave him an affirmative answer.

"You won't regret it," he said as he smiled again. He let go of my hand and then waved goodbye. I waved back, laughing at his silliness and watched him turn on his heel and walk to his car. He climbed in, started it up and pulled away. He honked the horn at me as he passed.

I replayed the events of this afternoon as I walked back to my apartment. Everything appeared to have the makings of a real relationship. And all the makings of an abusive one. They always start out sweet and charming until they get you. Then they change.

 _But he DID do things that the others didn't do, such as listen to you and pull out your chair. You experienced that surge of electricity and think he felt it too. Take it slow, don't give him much and see how it goes._

As I entered my apartment, I was determined to not think about Jasper Cullen for the remainder of the day. But as dusk fell in the city, I was acutely aware that something was happening to me. That Jasper had got in. I couldn't figure it out then, but my life was about to begin again.

* * *

 **A/N** : So there you have it, chapter 1. Alice is cautious and rightly so. Jasper has his work cut out for him, but I think he's up to the task. I don't know how often I'll update; I have through chapter 3 written but as we know, life gets in the way. So I'll ask you to bear with me. If you like this story, please review and share. Preview of next chapter for those who review.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** : Thank you to everyone who liked the first chapter. I honestly did not realize that 2 months had passed since I posted it. I will try not to let that happen again.

* * *

 **Jasper**

"Come on, Rose. Give me _something._ "

Rosalie smiled at me and shook her head. She knew I would be smitten with Alice as soon as I met her. How could I not? She really was great. She didn't give herself enough credit, thanks to the assholes she had dated, but she really was a gem. And a great friend to Rose. In the eight months that she had known Alice Brandon, she had become a sister to her.

 _Ew, incest_ , I joked to myself.

I took a swig of my beer and put the bottle down on the coffee table. I reached for my phone. Rosalie saw that I was looking at Alice's picture once again.

It was taken a week ago, after they went on a shopping excursion. Alice was wearing a pretty black sundress with daisies on it that showed off her amazing figure and toned legs. Upon zooming in on the picture, I noticed a few scars on the right one. I frowned at that. They didn't look like surgery scars.

She was smiling in the picture, but it didn't reach her eyes. They still looked sad. And afraid.

 _Of what?_

"She's beautiful, huh?" Rosalie asked, looking over my shoulder.

I just nodded. I was definitely was intrigued by her. My mind wandered back to the night Rosalie texted me saying she had just the girl for me. I rolled my eyes at her meddling. She had set me up with her friend Tanya previously and just like Maria, it had ended disastrously. The difference was that unlike Maria, Tanya did care about me. Too much to be exact. I had to get that restraining order against her to get any peace. And it wasn't like I had been that into her; we had only gone out twice. Granted, I had kissed her once, but that was because we were at a party and played suck and blow. She dropped the card and shoved her tongue down my throat. I didn't mind girls being forward but since I was already on the fence about her, it was not what I needed. That is what ended things with me.

Tanya didn't understand that. She stalked me for two months until I got that restraining order. I even moved to a different part of the city so she couldn't follow me.

I swear though that I still see her on campus occasionally.

 _That's your paranoia._

But I'm still cautious whenever at work.

"And she is nothing like Tanya" Rosalie said.

 _How does she do that?_

"She was very sweet. A little shy though." I thought about the beautiful woman sitting across from me this afternoon. She had brown eyes that were so expressive, yet hid so much. With the exception of those scars on her right leg, which I was able to view a little more up close, her skin was so smooth. I had wanted to reach out and touch it. I even wanted to run my hand over those scars, letting her know that they are a sign of her strength. My normal gentlemanly manner had disappeared for a bit while I conversed with the mysterious Alice Brandon. I admit, my thoughts travelled to the gutter and I couldn't find it in myself to feel guilty about that.

 _What I wouldn't give to kiss those plump lips. To breathe her in, make her mine. Watch her on top of me, riding me, as those pert breasts that peeked out of her blouse bounced up and down, teasing and tormenting me as she rides my dick hard. So hard she screams my name as she comes, waking the neighbors._

I shook my head.

 _It's been way too long since I've gotten laid._

And yet, with Alice, I knew it wouldn't be just sex. I'll admit, I did have sexual thoughts about Tanya at first, and even after not wanting to see her, I did consider having a booty call. Hey, I'm a guy in my late 20s; what do you expect?

"I want her, Rose. Not just for sex. I want to know _her_ , to be with her. I fell for her when you sent me this picture and even harder when I met her."

Rosalie smiled. She knew Alice would be the one for her brother.

I looked at her. "Please, give me something."

She nodded. "She had it rough. None of her relationships were good. She is very cautious and rightly so."

I understood that. I had a suspicion of what it was and if I'm right, pray I never meet the bastard.

"But it's not my story to tell. Get to know her and she'll open up to you."

I nodded. There was no way I was letting Alice Brandon go. I knew that she would resist; hell I was already expecting a text from her saying she couldn't see me again. But I would persist. Not Tanya persist, but let her know that I am the real deal. That she never need be cautious around me; that I will treat her as the goddess she is. I will make her forget whatever asshole hurt her and show her that decent men _do_ exist.

I already knew that she was it for me. She was _the one._ I had felt it when I took her hand that first time. The electricity surged. I knew at that moment why I had moved back to Chicago. Yes, my job and my family were here, but there was more to it than that. It was because I was to find _her_. And I will make her see that she is worthy of love, that she is beautiful and should be treated as such.

She is my soulmate.

 _Yes. I will make her begin again._

* * *

 **A/N** : This will mainly be from Alice's point of view but I think Jasper helps to move the story along. Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** : I am SO sorry for the delay in updating this. Between things in life and being blocked, I just couldn't continue. I am still blocked in a way but I am NOT giving up on this story. Please don't give up on me.

* * *

I sat back in my chair and rubbed my eyes. I had been reading the same sentence over and over for thirty minutes and it didn't make any sense. I needed a break.

 _The life of a graduate student._

I had decided when I moved to Chicago to take online classes to earn my master's degree. I really wanted to work in fashion and found a comparable school online that could meet my needs. I didn't want to physically go to school nor could I afford it. So online worked. And I took accelerated classes so I only had about three more to go before I finished. Then I planned on taking the fashion world of Chicago by storm.

After making a sandwich I returned to my computer. I decided to do a bit of cyber stalking. I went to my Facebook and logged in. Yes, I knew it was probably dangerous having a Facebook when Riley was out there, but I had hoped I had changed enough about the page that it wouldn't seem like me. Hell I didn't even use my picture; just a picture of a lily. And most of my other pictures were memes and such, nothing that really gave me away. Nothing that would tie me to him or him to me. And since my name was changed, I figured there was less chance he would connect the dots.

I pulled up my twin brother's page. Well, what I could see of it as he didn't know who Alice Brandon was and I didn't send him a friend request.

God I missed him. When I ran, I didn't tell him where I was going. I didn't want to take any chances of Riley finding me. This way, if he did confront Edward, he could honestly say he had no idea where I was.

His profile pic smiled at me. And I smiled at it. Edward always had such a great smile. He really was a handsome man. I was still surprised that at 28, he hadn't met his soulmate yet. I scrolled through his page to see what information I could find.

He had updated his work, now employed at a music store in Seattle. That was great because music was his life. I enjoyed it, he _lived_ for it. He couldn't believe that we were twins that were so opposite when it came to his passion. But then, it wasn't like he was into fashion. Cut from the same cloth, but still separate personalities.

I saw a few new pictures as well. Mainly with friends. I saw one that clenched my heart. It was of us. He didn't have me tagged, of course, but I could see the caption. And it broke me.

 _No matter where she is, I will always love my twin._

A few tears rolled down my cheeks as I scrolled past.

There was an article on his page titled _Hunt still on for missing Forks woman after tragic house fire._ I think he was sending me clues that he was determined to find me. I say that because unlike some things on his page, this was public. Like he knew I would be looking.

 _Maybe someday, Edward._

I had a notification from Rosalie, so I clicked on it. It was a link to a store Rose had been talking about, a shoe store. She had tagged me in it. "Alice Brandon" it said. I smiled and liked the link.

Then I saw the friend request.

My heart pounded in my ears as I clicked on it. Jasper Cullen. I realized that Rosalie had tagged me in that post so Jasper could find me.

 _Smooth Rose._

I accepted the request and then perused his page. I knew he taught at Northwestern University but I didn't know he also coached the men's soccer team. There was a picture of him in a coach's uniform wearing a baseball cap with a capital N on the front of it. He was blowing on the whistle. Damn, that was sexy.

 _I wish I was that whistle._

Where in the hell did that come from? I shook my head to lose those betraying thoughts of mine. It didn't work as I scrolled through his page.

 _Why does that man have to be so damn sexy? And why in the hell isn't he married?_

That was seriously the number one question I had when Rosalie told me about him. I know she said he had been hurt by an ex awhile back, but the fact he was single for so long was a red flag to me. He couldn't be that great of a guy, sexy, charming and articulate and be single. There was no way.

 _Wow. He's only been teaching at Northwestern for two years and he's helped lead the soccer team to a championship. Way to go, Jasper._

Continuing to scroll through the page, I saw Rosalie commenting on a bunch of stuff. And then I saw it. The post about their parents.

 _Senator Esme Cullen and her husband, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new children's hospital in downtown Chicago. Their own children Jasper and Rosalie Cullen were in attendance as well._

Family picture. My god they were all beautiful. This Carlisle looked like an older version of Jasper with the same blond hair and blue eyes. The only one who stood out like a sore thumb in the picture was Esme. Still beautiful, but with caramel colored hair and brown eyes.

My eyes drifted to Jasper in the picture. He had a crooked smile as he looked at the camera, his lean and toned body hidden by a dress coat. I had a thought of ripping that coat off of him.

 _Stop it._

I shook my head and decided it was time to get back to the books. I had to be at the shop at eight in the morning and my paper was due tomorrow night. I figured I could get a page or so done now and then write the rest on my lunch break.

I clicked back on the eBook I was reading and re-read that damn sentence again, this time it making sense. I typed a few notes into the margin when I had a notification pop up.

 _Jasper wants to chat with you on Messenger._

Frowning, I accepted it.

 _Hello. :)_

I smiled.

 _Hello back._

 _How are you?_ He asked.

Scared as always that Riley will find me, wondering what the hell I'm doing with my life.

 _Fine. You?_

 _Peachy._

I laughed. He really was charming.

 _Peaches are good this time of year,_ I typed to him.

 _LOL._

He was typing for a little bit so I got up and put my dish in the sink. I decided my paper could wait until tomorrow; I was always good at bullshitting my way through them.

 _Thank you for accepting my friend request. I was worried you wouldn't._

 _You seem like a nice guy, Jasper. It would be great to have another friend._

I figured that was safe.

 _Friend?_

 _Yeah._

He was silent for a bit. A part of me hoped I hadn't upset him, but another part of me didn't really care. Dude needed to know that I was not what he needed.

 _Rosalie said you would be standoffish. I plan to change that._

Well that was interesting.

 _How?_

 _I don't know what happened to you, but I know someone made you afraid. Someone made you feel you were unworthy of love, of happiness. I plan to show you that is not the case._

I shook my head.

 _I'm not what you need._

Direct truth is best.

 _I'll be the judge of that,_ was his answer.

Okay, this was starting to make me nervous. Not because it was like the men in my past, but because it _wasn't_ like the men in my past. I knew their pattern; this didn't fit.

 _You're not what I need either._

Time to let him down.

 _What do you need?_

Hmmm. I hadn't really thought about it. I didn't answer right away because I was thinking of how to respond.

 _Don't push me away, Alice. Believe me when I say we're right for one another._

Oh how I wanted to.

 _I hope you're right, Jasper. But I have to go now. I'm studying and have to be at work in the morning._

 _Sure thing. What time are you off tomorrow?_

I shook my head. He is persistent, I will give him that.

 _3._

 _Damn. I have office hours then. How about meeting me at the campus at 4?_

A lump formed in my throat as I typed out my response. Time to let him down.

 _Sure._

What the hell?

:) :)

I laughed.

 _History wing, building 2. Just tell them you're meeting Coach Cullen and someone will show you to my office._

 _Sounds good._

What am I doing?

 _I will see you then, Alice. Take care. I'll be thinking of you._

Yeah, cause that won't scare a girl who been running from abusive men her whole life.

 _See you then._

I logged out quickly before he could say anymore. Closing my laptop, I suddenly had a headache. What was I doing? I can't go through this again. My last relationship nearly killed me and I'm afraid he still might.

A quiet voice inside of me said to give him a chance, that this time it will be different. I don't know why, but I decided to listen to that voice.

 _Tomorrow then, Coach Cullen._

* * *

 **A/N** : Of course, it is understandable that Alice is hesitant. As the story progresses, you will see her push Jasper away. But don't fret! He will not take that lightly. I PROMISE a HEA for them.

Thanks for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** : Sorry for the delay! Have been dealing with writer's block. I know how I want the story to go, I just don't know HOW to get there. So I'm working on it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

* * *

 **Jasper**

I love teaching. I really, really do. But I hate grading papers. It takes too long and I feel it wastes valuable time. I understand that they have to write them; hell I had a 60 page paper I had to knock out in three days while working on my doctorate. But now that I'm the one assigning them, I see them as useless.

But like in any other job, there are things you like and things you don't. I sucked it up and spent two hours in my office grading.

I was just returning from getting more coffee when I noticed the time; Alice was due any minute. I suddenly became excited and nervous. I really, really hoped she would take me up on my offer to see me but had a bit of doubt that she wouldn't. If she didn't, I wouldn't be deterred. I know these things take time and until she officially orders me away, I'm going to pursue her.

After I had finished chatting with her on messenger last night, I did some research. I googled her type of behavior to see what I could find out. I knew I would have to be cautious but I am definitely up for the challenge.

 _Please don't push me away, Alice._

I tried to distract myself by grading some more papers. At about five after four, I heard a light knock on my door.

"Come in."

She did it. She showed up. I was so happy I shot out of my chair, knocking my coffee onto the floor. I started to clean it up when she bent down to help me.

"I'm so sorry," she said quietly.

I looked at her. Well, the top of her head as it was bent down. "What do you have to be sorry about?"

She answered quietly. "I caused you to spill your coffee."

 _Shit!_

I finished mopping it up and then gently took her hands and cleaned them off. To my surprise, she let me.

"You did, but it was only because I was so excited to see you."

She actually peeked up at me under her lashes. Damn, the look went straight south.

 _Control yourself._

"I mean it. I am very excited that you are here. I shouldn't have had my coffee cup so close to the edge anyway, but since this happened, I am not about to pass up the opportunity to hold your hand."

She glanced down at our now-entwined hands and blushed. I chuckled softly.

"I like it too."

I did a happy dance inside.

Giving her hand a squeeze and keeping my cool vernacular, I gently pulled her into a standing position. I made sure to not be too close at first so she didn't feel crowded. I released her hand (and the electricity that had been warming my body left) and turned to the desk.

"Let me just put these away."

She nodded and turned to the window.

After I locked my drawer, I turned to the window too. It overlooked the football field and was actually a beautiful sight.

"Why didn't you tell me you coached soccer?"

I shrugged. "Figured Rose did."

Alice shook her head. "I think she wanted to keep us a mystery to one another."

I chuckled. "Well she certainly succeeded."

She nodded and then turned to me. Smiling, she said "can I have a tour?"

I held out my arm for her to take. "Absolutely, milady."

She laughed and wrapped her left hand through it. After locking my office door, I took her on a quick tour of Northwestern. Well, the history and science wing at least.

"In addition to coaching soccer, I also moderate the chess team."

She looked at me while we walked.

"Yes, I know. I'm a geek."

She laughed. "Not at all. I think that's great. I've always wanted to learn to play chess."

I smiled. "I will teach you."

She looked a bit sad then.

"What is it?" I asked gently.

"You're so busy."

I shrugged and gave her hand a squeeze. "Never too busy for those who matter to me."

She glanced at me and saw I was sincere.

She blushed. I chuckled.

Several students spoke to me as we walked around. I did notice a few checking her out. While that made me happy for her, I was also a bit protective.

 _She's mine._

Well, not yet.

We stopped at the soccer field and saw the boys practicing. They waved at me but there was no official practice scheduled today, no one came up to me for anything.

"A lot of students like you."

I smiled. "I try to be a fair teacher. I will give them breaks but I let them know I do hold them accountable too. Some of these students have never had that and although it's a shock at first, they really respect that. They know that I have faith in them to do the work but they also know that if they need an extension due to something important, I will grant it."

"Wow," she said. "I wish I had had you as a teacher."

I laughed. "Good thing you didn't; I would have broken all rules to be with you."

She blushed again. I smiled. I want to make her blush like that all the time.

And of course, my traitorous body began reacting to that blush. My eyes briefly flickered down to her chest. She had on tank top but I could see a bit of cleavage. Not too much, but enough to make my mind race.

 _Stop. It._

On the way back to the history building, I stopped and picked a flower for her. I handed it to her and she put it in her hair. It looked radiant but it caused a strand to fall out of place. I reached out to move the hair and that's when I made my mistake.

She flinched away at the movement of my hand by her head and I froze. She didn't run but I could hear her breathing heavily and I slowly dropped my hand. She then looked down at the ground like she was ashamed of her reaction.

 _I knew it._

I fucking knew.

 _Whoever this guy is, pray I NEVER encounter him._

"I wasn't going to hit you," I said quietly.

 _Tread lightly._

"I know."

Her eyes were still downcast. I knew it was not only a sign of shame, but also submission. Whoever this fuck was, he made her believe she wasn't worthy to look him in the eye. He made her believe it was okay to hurt her. Anger fueled me, but not at her.

Slowly, gently, I lifted her chin until her eyes met mine. They were sad and a bit frightened.

"I'll never lay a hand on you," I said quietly. I hoped to God she believed me. "I promise."

She stared into my eyes, searching. I stared back into her beautiful brown ones, letting her see I was dead serious at what I was saying.

 _Please believe me._

Electricity was humming all around us. My hand left her chin and slowly made its way to her cheek. I cupped it softly and she leaned into my touch. I gently stroked the apple, my eyes never leaving hers.

God, I wanted to kiss her. So much. The urge was so overwhelming that I almost buckled with it. With that want. That desire. I have _never_ wanted anything more in my entire life.

But I wanted to do it at her speed. I'm guessing that men in the past have been more than aggressive with her. Taking things without permission. I won't do that. She needs to know she is in control.

She smiled at me. Her eyes said "thank you."

I gently pulled away from her. The electricity didn't diminish, even if it was lessened. Letting the moment pass, I once again held out my arm for her to take. She did and I turned away from the history wing to the cafeteria.

"Hungry?" I said with a smile. She nodded.

* * *

 **A/N:** Slowly but surely, he is making his way in. He'll have some work to do, but Alice is his soulmate. She's worth it.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

* * *

It was a busy day in the shop. We had just started a buy one, get one free on all skirts and slacks, so of course it was a madhouse. Plus, it was double points day so women were racking things up.

I personally loved it.

I wanted to go into fashion not only to express myself creatively, but for _this._ For people to clamor over themselves to get a deal. To help people out. And while this boutique was rather pricy, I planned on marking all of my designs reasonable for _any_ woman, no matter what her budget.

 _Why should only the rich ones get to look nice?_

After hanging up the phone for the fourth time, I turned back to the counter. Jessica, the owner, was there with me and looked a bit frazzled. I smiled and helped the next customer in line.

 _It's going to be a long day._

But it went quickly.

I waited on this beautiful woman in her late 40s with caramel-colored hair. She was so nice and sweet. She bought two blouses and two skirts from me and even gave me an additional tip. I almost didn't notice she had a man waiting by the door for her. I wondered why he hadn't come in and sat down on one of our cushy chairs. But I was so busy that the thought was fleeting.

When four o'clock came, there was a delivery. I was wrapping up a package in silver paper for a gift so I didn't pay attention at first. That is, until Jessica spoke up.

"You have an admirer, Alice."

I looked up from my work to see a huge bouquet of roses had been delivered. My eyes grew wide.

 _Who in their right mind…._

Then I knew the answer.

 _Jasper._

It had been three days since I saw him at Northwestern. I was so ashamed of myself with how I acted. I couldn't believe that he was continuing to talk to me on Facebook. But he was.

And now this.

I finished with the gift and signed for the flowers. Then I pulled out the card.

 _Just letting you know that someone can't stop thinking about you. Dinner soon? -J_

I sighed.

Jessica picked up the vase and smelled the flowers. "Oh my god, roses are my favorite!" she exclaimed. "And they smell divine!" She looked at them. "They're gorgeous; what are they called?"

"Sterling roses," I said absentmindedly.

My mind was reeling. I didn't know what I should do. Yes, we had been talking on Facebook but I thought I had made it clear that I was pushing him away. It's not that I didn't want to, every fiber in my being was screaming for me to give him a chance. It was as though somehow, it knew things would be different.

But I didn't know if I could.

Even if by some chance he was kind and decent, my issues cut to the bone. He would _never_ want to deal with a whack job like me. Riley has effectively broken me for any man.

Or so I thought.

Snapping back to reality, I turned to the flowers. They really were beautiful. So light and full of life. Their purple color shone in the sunlight.

"He remembered," I muttered.

"Remembered what?" Jessica asked, turning to me.

"Oh, the other day we were talking and I just mentioned that sterling roses were my favorite. He made no mention of it, so I figured it wasn't important."

Jessica nodded. "Honey, this guy is smitten."

I shook my head at her and picked up the vase. "He's not."

She tilted her head to the side and looked at me. "Alice, I know men. I'm dating Mike Newton, remember? He has _never_ done anything like this because he doesn't have a romantic bone in his body. _This_ is the sign of someone serious." She glanced at the card and then held it up. "See?"

I averted her eyes.

I placed the roses on the back counter so they wouldn't get knocked over. Kate, our night manager, made her way in through the door and waved at us. She apologized for being late, but brought us coffee as a peace offering.

"I will forgive anything for coffee," Jessica said. We laughed.

I gathered up my stuff and took the vase. Jessica spoke up as I headed to the door.

"All I'm saying is, not all guys are alike. You may have found _the one,_ Alice."

I smiled at her and nodded before walking out the door. I received a lot of compliments about the flowers as I carried them to my apartment.

Exiting the elevator on my floor, I noticed the door adjacent to mine was open and boxes were everywhere. Someone was obviously moving in.

I squeezed past a box to get to my door and placed the key in the lock.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

I turned around to the brunette standing behind me. She had a smile on her face that made me instantly smiled back.

"No problem," I said honestly, taking the key out and balancing the flowers.

She glanced at them. "You're so lucky," she said. "All the guys I've dated have been cads. They would never do anything romantic. Your partner must be special."

I knew she was being polite and not implying anything about my sexual preference since we were strangers. I glanced at the flowers.

"To be honest, I hardly know the guy. I'm playing hard to get but he keeps on getting me."

The brunette laughed. "I'm Bella."

"Alice."

She nodded. "Nice to meet you, Alice. I won't keep you but glad I got to meet my neighbor."

I glanced at the boxes still littering the hallway. "Would you like some help?"

She looked at me, surprised. "Sure, if it's not too much of an inconvenience."

I shook my head. "Not at all. I have a feeling we're going to be great friends. I'd love to help."

She nodded back.

"Okay then. Just give me a few minutes to get these into my place and change, and I'll be out."

With my help, my new neighbor had everything moved in in half an hour. As a thank you, she invited me to stay for a glass of wine.

We learned a bit about each other. She told me she was from Arizona and had just gotten a job as a campaign manager to Rosalie's mother!

"I didn't know there was a position open, not that it would have mattered."

Bella smiled. "Yeah, it was kept pretty private. Senator Cullen wanted less press this time because she's afraid of what it does to her kids."

"I know them," I said. "Her kids."

She looked surprised. "Small world."

I nodded. "Rosalie is actually a really good friend of mine. She was the first friend I made when I moved here. Her brother, Jasper, is the one who sent the flowers," I said with a nod towards my apartment.

She nodded slowly. "I see."

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

She shrugged. "You're being pursued by Senator Cullen's son. That's impressive."

"Not really."

"I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that," she clarified. "But Esme has told me about her children. Jasper doesn't just date anyone."

I choked on my wine. "Seems pretty personal for a campaign manager."

She chuckled. "I know. I guess I just have that face."

We talked some more before I decided I needed to get some homework done. We agreed to have lunch the next day at my place and we would discuss men then.

I leaned against my door after shutting it. I knew I had a new friend. I was excited about that. I pulled out my phone to text Rosalie the news.

* * *

 **A/N:** So Bella is now on the scene! And Alice still hasn't decided about Jasper. That will take her a little while more.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** yes, two chapters in one month! What the heck?! Well, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

* * *

I finally agreed to dinner with Jasper. Damn, the man can be persuasive. I thanked him for the flowers and had said no to dinner, reminding him that he didn't want to get involved with me.

"Let me be the judge of that."

I rolled my eyes. "Jasper, I'm broken. Why are you wasting your time?"

I heard him sigh over the phone. "You are not broken, Alice. Far from it. You've just been dealt a shitty hand. We both have. And now, the universe is making up for it."

I hardly had paid attention to what he said because his slight Texas accent had come through the phone. I felt the warmth spread all the way to my toes and back up.

 _So sexy._

"Alright," I said quietly.

"Alright?" he questioned.

"Yes. Alright. I'll have dinner with you."

I could practically hear the grin.

So here I was, standing in my underwear and bra in front of my closet, deciding what to wear.

 _I should have just bought something at the boutique._

He said he was taking me someplace nice, which didn't make me _at all_ nervous, so I wanted to look my best. I finally decided on a burgundy faux leather dress. I matched it with burgundy flats and a gold necklace. I added some product to my hair and applied my makeup. I had to admit, I looked damn good. I noticed the scars on my right leg. I applied some concealer to them to hide them. I didn't want questions just yet.

When there was a knock at the door, I glanced at my watch.

 _He's early._

But it wasn't him.

"Oh my god, Alice!" Bella squealed. "You look absolutely gorgeous!" She flung her arms around me into a big hug.

I giggled. "You think so?"

She nodded. "I knew you'd give Senator Cullen's son a chance."

I shook my head. "I agreed to dinner because he can be persuasive. I'm not really dating him."

"Yet."

I rolled my eyes at her now as I grabbed my sweater. "Why does everyone think Jazz and I are the perfect match?"

"Uh, because you _are,_ " Bella said simply. Then she raised an eyebrow at me. "And since when do you call him 'Jazz?'"

 _Shit._

"Uh, since he asked me to."

That was a lie. I actually just started doing that the other day while talking to him through Facebook. He told me he liked the nickname, so I kept it up.

She gave me a once over. "Sure, Alice. You're totally not smitten."

Some people can see right through me.

When Jasper showed up, on time, I introduced them.

"My mother speaks highly of you," he said to Bella. She blushed.

 _Maybe I can steer him her way._

My blood turned cold at that thought.

I didn't get it. I needed to push him away; needed him to get as far away from me as possible. I'm damaged goods. He can do so much better. So why was the thought of him actually leaving me making me sick?

Jasper couldn't take his eyes off me. "You're stunning," he said. I smiled.

"You look great too."

He really did. He had on a blue suit with a matching blue shirt. It made his already blue eyes bluer. His gorgeous hair was slightly disheveled; I figured there was a breeze out.

 _Sex hair._

Bella smiled. "Well don't just stand there. You two love birds need to start your date."

I glared at her. She just laughed.

Jasper really was the sweetest man. He always stepped aside for me to go through doors and kept his hand on the small of my back. He made sure I didn't step in a puddle and he pulled my chair out when we arrived at the restaurant.

 _You don't know how nice that feels. But I do._

He barely ordered his meal because he couldn't take his eyes off of me. Other times I would have felt uncomfortable, but he put me at ease.

I scanned the restaurant as our wine was poured.

"Fancy place."

He nodded. "My mother's favorite restaurant."

I took a sip of wine. "So your mother is the current senator?"

He nodded. "Yup. She loves her job."

"So you could have any woman you want. Why are you wasting time on me?"

He reached across the table and took my hand. "I am not wasting time on you, Alice," he said. His voice was low, but seductive. A shudder ran through me. "I don't pursue women I'm only mildly interested in."

His blue eyes were so intense. Emotions were swirling in them. The strongest one I saw was desire.

"So why me?"

He squeezed my hand. "Because you're my soulmate."

My jaw dropped. "What?"

He chuckled. "Alice, this may be hard for you to believe, given what's happened to you, but as soon as Rose sent me your picture, that was it. I was done for. Something clicked. It was as though I had been waiting for you all my life."

I swallowed. _How in the hell has this man not been snatched up?_

I smiled at him. "I don't know what to say."

He squeezed my hand again. "You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know that I have no intention of stopping my pursuit. Even if you push me away, I will come back. I won't leave until you order me away; if even then."

I nodded. While I would normally feel scared at that, he made it sound wonderful. I could feel the warmth spreading throughout my body.

Our meal arrived and we ate in silence for a while. But it wasn't uncomfortable; it was like being with your best friend. You don't have to talk all the time or fill the space. It was familiar.

He made me laugh again, several times actually. Once I almost snorted wine up my nose; that would have been attractive in a classy place like this.

After dinner, we went for a walk. The bright lights of Chicago shone as we hit Navy Pier.

"This is one of my favorite parts of the city," he said, holding my hand. "When I'm having a bad day, I come here and look out at the lake. The waves calm me."

I nodded. "I can understand why. It's peaceful."

"Yes."

We stood next to each other, just watching people, the lake, and everything around it. At one point he turned to me. His blue eyes had darkened. He pulled me close to him.

"Alice…."

I sucked in a breath. I didn't know if I was ready for this. His body pressed against mine, turning the warmth inside me on fire. I put a hand up and placed it on his chest. He covered it with his hand.

He glanced down at my lips and then back up to my eyes. "May I kiss you?"

 _That's a first._

I nodded, entranced. There was a spell on us; there had to be. This couldn't feel this magical.

My heart was racing.

He leaned in slowly, giving me time to change my mind. A part of me was screaming but the bigger part of me was anticipating. He pressed his lips to mine.

And then _I_ was done for.

His kiss was like nothing I had ever experienced. It was warm and familiar yet new and hot. He pulled me even closer, if that was possible, and his right hand gently cupped the back of my neck. My other hand wound its way into his hair, eliciting a groan from him. A groan I loved.

"Alice," he said quietly. I smiled against his lips.

"Like that?"

His response was kissing me harder. His tongue sought entrance and I granted it. He groaned and tilted my head, giving him deeper access. Our tongues mingled in a fight for dominance. I gripped the lapel of his suit jacket as his hand gently stroked the skin at my neck. My body was on fire.

He pulled away to breathe and then kissed me again. I never wanted it to end.

When it finally did, he placed his forehead against mine. We both had our eyes closed. The beating of my heart was so loud I was convinced he heard it. His grip on me never loosened, but it wasn't like Riley. It wasn't possessive. Well, it was, but not in a bad way.

"You asked at the restaurant why you."

I nodded against his forehead.

"Because I knew you were it. You were what I've been searching to find. I had wondered why things didn't work out with Maria; I was so convinced it was me. But as soon as I met you, I knew that wasn't the case. We were destined, Alice."

I didn't know if I felt like that, but I didn't want to say anything or break the magical spell around us. I ran my hands through his gorgeous hair again, eliciting a shiver from him. I smirked.

"I came alive when I met you. I know that you're scared; I am too. But I am the real deal, Alice. I won't ever hurt you. Not physically, not emotionally. I can't. I don't have the strength to stay away from you."

He literally just turned me into goo. I felt his arms tighten around me because my knees gave out. He was actually holing me up. He pressed me against the railing for support.

"Can I tell you what I was feeling when I met you on that Wednesday in that café?"

I nodded. He swallowed.

"For the first time Alice, I felt hope."

* * *

 **A/N:** I really wasn't going to have Jasper kiss her this early, but it just came out that way. He already knows she's his soulmate. Will he convince her?

Thanks so much for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N** : Thank you to all who are reading this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

* * *

The shrieking could be heard down in the lobby.

I rolled my eyes. "Rosalie, the neighbors are going to think I'm being murdered."

She was literally bouncing up and down with excitement. "I don't care, Alice. It's too exciting."

Bella smirked and then hid behind her wine glass when I glared at her.

The day after the date, I called Rosalie and Bella for a girls' night. I knew they would want to know what happened, and I really wanted advice on what to do.

 _This is so different. I'm used to a pattern with guys. They take me out, woo me and then I see their true nature. Jasper has taken me out, yes, but this seems different. HE seems different._

I did not want to give myself hope.

I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Regardless of what Rose said, I still had doubt. Riley's family thought he wasn't capable of abuse and we saw how that turned out.

An image of him standing over me as I laid on the floor, a black eye and bloody nose flashed in my head. I closed my eyes and shivered.

Warm arms encircled me. I slowly opened my eyes to see Bella's chocolate brown ones. Rosalie had taken my hand and was stroking it gently.

"We don't have to talk about it Alice," she said quietly. "If this is too painful, Bella and I will stop right now."

I shook my head. I _wanted_ to talk about it. That's why I called them. I drew in a shaky breath.

"No, I'm okay," I said. "Just had a flashback of one of the many times Riley beat me."

Bella and Rosalie shared a glare.

"If you do decide to keep seeing Jasper, Alice, you will have to tell him." Bella's quiet voice soothed me. I smiled at her. She was still hugging me.

"I know. And I will. I'm just scared."

Rosalie squeezed my hand. "Scared of what, exactly?"

"I'm so used to shitty men. Riley wasn't the only abusive boyfriend I've had, but he was by far the worst. I literally thought I wouldn't survive. But I did, by running far away from my brother and creating a new identity." I stared straight ahead, fighting back tears. "But I know someday he'll find me. And he already told me he'd kill me."

Rosalie drew in a breath. "I can promise you, that won't happen. Jasper won't allow it. He will die first."

I shook my head. "I don't want him to do that. That's why I don't know if I can continue on with him. I don't want to put his life in danger because I have a death sentence."

"Jasper is a great guy," Bella piped up. "If he didn't want to be a part of it, he wouldn't have agreed to go out with you. Or kiss you," she added with a smirk. "I still want to hear that."

I chuckled. Some tears fell but I didn't wipe them away. I was enjoying the comfort of my friends. "If he is a decent guy, he'll come to his senses and leave me."

Rosalie shook her head. "He _is_ a decent guy, Al. And he _does_ have sense. He's found someone that completes him."

I looked at her. "How does he know that? We've been on technically one date, plus the coffee shop."

She sighed. "He knew from the minute he saw your picture. It was as though something triggered inside of him. You should have heard how many times he was bugging me about you."

I chuckled again. "Really?"

She smiled and nodded. Bella smiled at her too. "Oh god yes. It was actually pretty annoying. He stopped actually greeting me in texts. It was always 'did you talk to Alice?' 'How is your friend?' 'When do I meet that gorgeous woman?' He wouldn't shut up." She rolled her eyes dramatically and Bella and I laughed.

"He's the real deal Alice," Bella said. "Give him a chance."

I sucked in a breath. I didn't know if I could. I heard what my friends were saying; I wanted it to be true. I really liked Jasper. I really liked the time we spent together. I _really_ liked that kiss. It felt like something new, something exciting. I felt safe with him. I knew he was being cautious because he had an idea of what had happened, and I really appreciated that. But I also hope that he will be himself and not feel he has to walk on eggshells around me. My issues are my own. Maybe, _maybe_ I can learn to move past them.

"Okay, enough of the heavy," Rosalie said, releasing my hand. She reached for her wine glass. "Tell us about the kiss."

I laughed again, immediately put at ease. Bella released her hold on me and I wiped my tears away. I was with friends. I smiled at them. "Well, it was…good."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. " _How_ good?"

"Rosalie, that's your brother," Bella said.

"Fuck that," Rosalie replied. "For the next few minutes, I have no brother. He's just Jasper Cullen, hot history teacher." We all laughed at that.

I cleared my throat. I could still feel his lips on mine, how strong they were. How comforting. I loved being in his arms. He held me tightly but it wasn't scary. It was a possessive hold, as though he was making it known that I was his. But unlike Riley, I didn't feel uncomfortable. I felt wanted. Desired.

"It was the best kiss _ever._ It felt magical, really. He held me tightly, but not like in a possessive way. Well, possessive, but not a bad possessive. Anyway…."

Bella chuckled and stroked my back. "He has strong lips," I went on. " _Really_ strong. And I had my hand on his chest. I could feel the muscles in his chest even though he had layers on. His heart was pounding, as mine was." Rosalie was smiling and nodding. Bella sipped her wine. "He actually kissed me twice. The second time was so good my knees gave out. He had to hold me up against the railing."

Rosalie shrieked again. I smacked her arm. "Cut that out!"

She covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, but I'm so excited."

I laughed. "I know. Jasper is really hot."

"So are you going to go out with him again?" Bella asked. I sighed. "I don't know. I'm still scared."

Bella nodded. "That's completely understandable, Alice. And he knows you are. But he still wants you. I'm sure he'll give you all the time you need."

"Kissing me was pretty fast, though."

Rosalie shrugged. "He can get excited when it's something he wants."

I let my mind wander a moment. I thought of the handsome blonde man who was no doubt not thinking of me at the moment. He was probably with his students or out with another girl. My blood ran cold at that.

"He's probably out with another girl," I said, repeating my thoughts.

Rosalie looked me in the eyes. "Alice Brandon, I will tell you right now. Jasper is _not_ a player. He does _not_ date women he's only mildly interested in. He's only had one serious relationship, and that was Maria down in Texas. He was hurting at the time, but do you know what he said to me recently? Before he met you?"

I shook my head.

"He said that he always knew something was wrong. Something was amiss. He _thought_ he loved Maria, but he really didn't. Yes, he was hurt but he wasn't heartbroken. It was as though the universe was telling him Maria wasn't right for him."

I absorbed that information. My mind flittered back to last night and his words _"for the first time, Alice, I felt hope."_ I drew in a breath.

"He said something like that last night."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

I nodded. "He said for the first time, he felt hope."

Another shriek from Rosalie. "Oh my god! This is great! He's found _the one_ , Alice."

I couldn't say anything. I didn't want her to think I didn't care. I did, I so did, but of course my first instinct was to still run. I knew I would still push him away. But now, a part of me hoped he would come back.

I looked between Rosalie and Bella. They were both smiling at me. I heard something about Jasper, but I couldn't make it out. My phone lit up with a text. I looked at it.

 _Been thinking about you all day. Hope I didn't come on too strong. –J_

I showed it to Rosalie.

"Well write him back!"

I laughed.

 _You definitely did not. I had a great time._

He replied.

 _I'm glad. My goal is to make sure you have a great time. So how about the street fest tomorrow?_

Bella was reading it over my shoulder. "Say yes," she hissed. I rolled my eyes.

 _Sounds good._

We all laughed. "Goof," Rosalie said.

 _I hope I'm not being too forward, but I can't stop thinking about kissing you again._

"Ooooh," Rosalie said. I smacked her arm.

 _You're not. I loved it. I would love to do it again._

Bella punched the air. I glared at her.

I chuckled.

 _You should know, your sister and Bella are here. They saw this._

Rosalie snorted with laughter.

"Oh that's ladylike," Bella said through her own laugh.

 _Good. Tell Bella 'hi' from me and my sister to mind her own business._

She scoffed at that. Bella laughed again.

 _I'll text tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Alice._

I text him back a goodnight.

"Alice is gonna get some," Bella teased in a singsong voice.

I rolled my eyes. "Really Bella."

Rosalie laughed. "She's right. 'Alice is gonna get some.'"

Now we all laughed.

I was so glad I had girlfriends now. Riley never let me have friends. I couldn't do anything but be a servant to him. Working was not permitted. School was not permitted. If he let me be with anyone, it was someone he approved of. And even then, they were to report back to him on my behavior and if I acted remotely out of line, he would punish me. But now. I had freedom now. Freedom to do what I wanted. Be with whomever I wanted. It was still so strange to me.

Bella had returned with the wine bottle while Rosalie excused herself to the bathroom. "So how do you think he is in bed?"

I rolled my eyes. "Really Bella," I repeated.

She smirked. "It's an important thing, Alice." She tilted her head to the side. "I bet he's good. He definitely has the body and the stamina. I bet he starts slow and then increases until you're goo."

Rosalie sat back down. "Until who's goo?"

"Alice. Just thinking what Jasper is like in bed." She poured the wine.

"Ew. Okay, he _is_ my brother again."

We all laughed.

"Did know you were so obsessed with sex, Bella," I said, sipping my wine.

She blushed. "I _do_ tend to have an addiction when I'm dating a guy. It's funny. When I'm single, like now, I can go without it. But when I'm with a guy, it's like horny city for me."

I actually snorted wine up my nose I was laughing so hard at what she said.

"Slut," I said playfully. She shrugged.

"Lovable slut," she replied. Her brown eyes danced playfully.

She did make me think though. What would Jasper be like in bed? Riley was always so controlling. I never had any pleasure from him. Oh sure, he got off, part of his dominance thing. But never me. He didn't care. I didn't have to be turned on. I guess you could say that it was partially rape since he didn't always have permission. Well, he _thought_ he did.

 _Riley can kiss my ass._

I bet Jazz was as Bella said. Starts off slow and then builds. I bet he does _everything_ right.

"Hello? Earth to Alice?" Rosalie said. I shook my head.

"Sorry."

"Betcha she was picturing Jasper naked," Bella said.

"I was not! Just how he was in bed!" I clomped my hand over my mouth. Rosalie raised an eyebrow, Bella raised her glass. They both laughed loudly.

"She is _so_ smitten," Rosalie said.

"I'm right here."

Bella nodded. "And we're glad for it. Now, to save any Rosalie from any more torture about her brother's sex life, why don't we put on a movie?"

"Girls Gone Wild?" I suggested. Another round of laughter.

Girl talk forgotten, we settled into the movie. I placed one hand each in one of theirs. They both looked at me and smiled, giving my hands a squeeze. I had a home. I had a job. I had friends. I had a possible boyfriend, one who actually is decent.

I was happy.

* * *

 **A/N:** Girl talk is always fun.

Thanks so much for reading! 'Til next time!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N** : As always, I do not own Twilight.

* * *

 _This can't be real._

I pulled him closer to me as his right hand cupped my cheek. His lips moved over mine, tongue asking for entrance. I granted it and we danced lightly, fighting for dominance. I sighed into his mouth.

"Alice," he said softly.

"Yes?"

A beat of silence as his tongue battled mine. Then he withdrew it and bit my lip. "If you keep making those noises, I'm going to have a hard time stopping."

I giggled.

He smiled against me and kissed me again. This time, his right hand moved to the back of my neck and held me there, as though he was trying to get me as close as possible. His body was starting to tremble and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

He pulled away a few seconds later, resting his forehead on mine. "God, Alice," he croaked. "I swear I'm developing an addiction."

 _He is so cute._

I smiled and pecked his lips. He continued to hold me, forehead against forehead, eyes closed. His breathing was beginning to slow down. I felt safe, content.

I also felt something against my leg.

I gasped. He chuckled.

"I was wondering when you would notice that."

 _No way! Does he ACTUALLY want me that way?_

Yes, I had had that conversation with Rosalie and Bella yesterday, but I didn't truly think they were serious. But now….

"You…you…"

I couldn't get the words out.

Luckily, I didn't seem to need to. His breathing had regulated and he pulled his forehead away to look into my eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes of his.

"You seem surprised."

I nodded. "Really? You really want me…" I gestured to his pelvic area. "…like that?"

He rocked his hips into me, pressing against me. He was still rock hard. My jaw dropped.

"What do you think?"

I didn't know _what_ to think. But I was starting to like it.

Deciding to be bold, I placed my left hand over his clothed erection. He hissed and grabbed my hand.

"Uh uh," he said. I smirked.

"Why not?" I asked innocently. He nipped my lip.

"Because Alice. I may be a gentleman, but even I have my limit. And I don't want to push you before you are ready."

I smiled. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

He nodded and pulled away. I frowned at loss of contact. I enjoyed being in his arms. "So what did you and my sister and Bella talk about?" He turned and poured another glass of wine for both of us. I took mine and headed to the living room. He followed.

Setting my glass on the coffee table, I sat back and sighed. "Well, girl talk mostly. We talked about you. Rose wanted to know about our first kiss."

He sipped his wine and raised an eyebrow. "My _sister_ wanted to know how I kiss?"

"She said you weren't her brother for the next few minutes."

He threw back his head and laughed. "Okay, then."

I smiled. He placed his wine glass next to mine.

"Actually," I said, "it was very refreshing for me. I haven't had much chance to have girlfriends."

Jasper frowned. "That's not right."

I looked down at my hands. "I know." It came out quietly, almost a whisper.

We sat silently for a minute. I could feel his eyes burning into the top of my head. When I raised up to look at him, I saw sadness and desire. And something else I couldn't place.

"Jasper," I said as I reached for my wine. "I want to tell you some things about me."

He let out a breath. "Whatever you want to tell me, no pressure." He took my hand and free hand and kissed it.

 _Here goes nothing._

I explained all about my dating life. How I went from one abusive relationship to the other. How Riley was the worst. I explained that I ended up with broken bones from him, along with a broken soul. I wanted Jasper to know the truth. He had to know the truth so he could make an informed decision to let me go.

The look in his blue eyes was frightening.

He didn't look like he was going to hurt me. No. He looked murderous though. As though he wanted to track down Riley and do to him what he did to me. That was sweet. I took his hand.

"Jasper?" I said softly.

He shook his head and closed his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alice, I'm sorry."

 _Here we go,_ I thought. _He's bailing._

"Please note, I am not angry at you, not at all." He turned and stroked my cheek. "But I promise you, if I ever meet this Riley Biers, I _will_ kill him for what he did to you."

His voice was low. I knew he meant it. I squeezed his hand.

"Thank you," I said softly. "But I don't want that."

We sat in silence for another moment, me giving him time to calm down. He seemed like he did need it. I would continue squeezing his hand every so often letting him know that I was there.

"Alice," he said suddenly.

I looked at him.

"I would like to teach you how to shoot."

I frowned. "Shoot what? I've never been any good at billiards."

He chuckled. "No, I mean shoot a gun."

I gasped. It wasn't that I was opposed to it, but no one had ever offered to teach me. I knew if Riley had found out, he _would_ kill me.

"O-kay," I said quietly.

He nodded. "You need to know how to protect yourself. I have a feeling he will try and find you." He pulled out his phone. "I'm going to make a reservation at my gun range for Sunday, if you don't have to work."

"I'm free."

He smiled and dialed the number. I stared at him, my mind in shock.

 _He's going to teach me to SHOOT? Wow. I never pegged him for a gun guy._

"It's all set," he said as he hung up. "We'll need to get you registered with a FOID card for the state of Illinois."

I frowned at him.

"FOID means Firearm Owner's Identification. It's required by the state."

I nodded slowly, processing the information.

Then he began typing into his phone.

I figured he was texting Rosalie so I gave him a minute. I reached for my wine again and sipped it slowly.

"Okay, that's done."

He turned to me.

"Alice, you know my mother is a senator, right?"

I nodded.

He smiled softly. "Good. Well, because of that, she has to have bodyguards with her. The whole family does, actually. Rosalie and I are used to them as we've been in this lifestyle since we were kids. Most of the time, we call our bodyguards off because we're self-conscious."

I nodded again. "I can understand that."

He sighed, looking directly into my eyes. "With your permission, I want to get you a bodyguard."

My jaw dropped. "What?" I said quietly.

"I know, it seems crazy. But I don't trust this Riley as far as I can throw him. And I don't want you blindsided one day when he shows up. I can put Sam on bodyguard duty for you."

I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. "But…but what if I want to go on a date with you and…and kiss?" I blushed at that.

"You can call him off. I did."

I looked at him. "He was going to come here?"

"He did."

My eyes grew wide. _What the hell?_

He saw my panic and explained. "He scoped the place out, as is his job. I knew you would be fine, but that _is_ why my mother pays him. So he checked the place out and I said I wanted to be with you alone. And he left."

My heart was racing. I couldn't believe it. The guy I was dating had a bodyguard. A bodyguard who probably followed us around on our date tonight, who probably saw us kissing….

And to be honest, I didn't really care.

I thought it was sweet that Jasper wanted to do that for me; no one ever has. He was actually putting my safety first.

"So," I said quietly. "So how will I know him?"

He laced his fingers with mine and then kissed the back of my hand. "I'll text you the information. There will be a code word that he will give you, that's how you'll know. He'll stay far enough behind to not arouse suspicion. And yes, you can call him off if you need." Jasper kissed my hand again. "But I hope you won't, Alice. At least not all the time. I know this seems obsessive, but I really am trying to protect you."

 _I know._

"I know."

He smiled. Then he leaned over and kissed me again. I ran my fingers through his hair, making him groan. He pulled away.

"I warned you," he said but his eyes were kind.

I giggled. "I want to see how far you'll go."

He looked at me and his eyes changed. Literally changed in half a second. "Alice," he said. "As I stated, I am a gentleman but you don't want me to release the beast that inside me."

I smiled. "Maye I do." I looked him square in the eye, challenging him.

After a moment, he growled and grabbed me, pressing his lips to mine. He pushed down on the couch, pinning me with his hips.

"How are you real?" he asked in between kisses.

"I could say the same of you." He placed kisses along my jaw line, leading to my neck. My eyes fluttered closed. I couldn't speak.

I ran my hands in his already messy hair, tugging lightly. He growled and began sucking hard on my neck. I moaned.

"Jas-Jasper…" I said.

He didn't stop what he was doing. God he felt amazing! His erection was back, pressing into the side of my leg. I rubbed against it to get some friction. He threw his head back and hissed.

"Alice," he said quickly. I repeated my action. He closed his eyes.

I smirked. My hand wound its way down and I covered the lump through the clothes. I squeezed lightly, earning a growl this time.

He moved his hand to mine to stop me.

"No," I said. He looked at me.

"I _want_ to touch you."

His blue eyes widened. But he didn't say no. He just braced himself on either side of me, hands digging into the cushions. I let my hand roam over him again, watching him close his eyes. His breathing grew ragged.

He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to my lips. I found my way to the waistline of his pants and stuck my hand inside, bypassing his boxers. I rested my hand against his cock. Skin on skin.

"Holy hell Alice!" He jerked but I held him in place. I began running my hand over his tip, watching him start to come undone on top of me. He was trembling again, and his eyes once again closed. His breathing was erratic.

"Is this working?" I teased. He growled. I grinned.

Slowly I made my way down his cock, gently teasing and massaging it. I felt powerful seeing his reactions to what I was doing. I still had a hard time believing this.

 _Riley would force me to give him oral. I never had a choice._

 _I have a choice now._

I continued my ministrations for another minute or two before Jasper did grab my hand and move it away. I pouted.

"Alice," he said breathlessly. "As much as I would _love_ to continue, and believe me, I would, we have to stop. I really don't want to wear sticky clothes home. And I'm about to."

I chuckled. "Okay then." I removed my hand. "But it was good?"

He kissed me again, long and slow. "So good I was about ten seconds away from a mess." He kissed my nose. "You didn't have to do that you know."

I smiled. "I know. But if I'm going to do this, have a relationship with you, then I need to. And I want to."

"That's what matters. As long as _you_ want to. I will never push you into anything you don't want."

"I know," I said quietly.

He nodded and sat up, climbing off of me. He stood and walked to the bathroom for a moment. I knew I had teased him enough tonight, so I just grabbed the bottle of wine and poured another glass.

When he returned, I flipped on the TV. "How about some Netflix?" He nodded and took a large swig of wine.

Maybe I could do it. Maybe I could begin again.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading!


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